Reversing arrangement for document reproducing machine



19, 1941- A. E. SCHUBERT ETAL 2,253,052

REVERSING' ARRANGEMENT FOR DOCUMENT REPRODUCING MACHINE Filed July 19, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ALVIN E. SCHUBERT WADE 5. NIVISON HARVEY P. HINTZ 10 INVEN'I'ORS A 'ITORNE YS Aug. 19, 1941. A. E. SCHUBERT EIAL 2,253,052

REVERSING ARRANGEMENT FOR DOCUMENT REPRODUCING MACHINE Filed July 19. 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 R Tm EONm BBHN w m W W S E.

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y TORNE YS Patented Aug. 19, 1941 REVERSING ARRANGEMENT FOB DOCU- MINT BEPBDDUCING MACHINE Alvin E. Schubert and Harvey 1'. Hints, Rochester. and Wade S. Niviaon, New, York, N. Y., a-ignorl to Eastman Kodak Company, ltoch ester, N. 1.,

a corporation of New Jersey Application July 19, 1940, Serial No. 346,392

14 Claims.

tographically recorded. The reversing mechanism of the present invention is particularly designed for use on the recording apparatus shown and described in the patent to .C. J. Hughey, No. 1,976,346, dated October 9, 1934, and to the apparatus shown in the patent to A. E. Schubert, No. 2,165,418, dated July 11, 1939.

An object of the invention is the provision in a machine of this class of a mechanism for feeding the document through the machine so as to photograph one side thereof, then automatically reversing the document and again feeding it through the machine so that the other side may also be photographed.

Another object of the invention is the provision in a machine of this class of members which tend to automatically move to a position to guide the document to the reversing means, and are later operated in timed relation to the feeding drum to engage the latter to strip the photographed document therefrom.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of an apertured guide for holding the document against the drum during the travel thereof through the photographic field of the camera.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a motor switch which is so located as to be closed by positioning the apertured guide in the machine so that when the latter is in place the switch may be closed to render the machine operative, and when the plate is removed the switch automatically moves to open position to open the circuit to the drive motor.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of blocking members adapted to be positioned across the feedingstations to obstruct the latter. The moving of these blocking members to obstructing position is controlled by a mechanism actuated by the leading edge of the document during its initial travel through the camera field, while the removal of these blocking members from obstructing position is controlled by a mechanism actuated by the trailing edge of the reversed document. The movement of the document guiding and stripping members are, on the other hand, controlled from the leading edge of the initial and reversed document.

To these and other ends, the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings:

a document handling device constructed in accordance with the present invention, with the side plate removed, showing the arrangement of the operating and control mechanisms for the reversing of the document.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but with the parts in a slightly different positionso as to efiectiv'ely strip the photographed document from the rotating drum.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation view of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1, as viewed from the left thereof but with the feeding hoppers removed and parts in section.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 2, showing the arrangement by which the motor switch is rendered operative.

- Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the guiding and stripping fingers, and the supporting plate there- Fig. 6 is an end view of the cam for controlling the actuation of the feeding hopper blocking members; and

Fig. 7 is an end view of the cam for controlling the operation of the guiding and stripping fingers and the plate illustrated in Fig. 5.

Similar reference numerals throughout the various views indicate the same parts.

The invention comprises, in its broadest aspect, a rotating drum for advancing documents through the photographic field of a camera so that the latter may photographically record one side of the document. Two suitable feeding stations or hoppers are provided, one for small documents such as checks, the other for larger documents such as letters, ledger sheets, etc. ,The present invention provides suitable mechanism which isactuated by the advancing of the document by the drum for reversing the document, and again feeding it through the photographic field of the camera sothat the other side of the of a single document or a series of documents. when, however, only oneside of a document is to be recorded, the reversing mechanism may be moved to an inoperative position so that when one side has been photographed, the document is automatically discharged from the machine. When the document is fed to the machine, block- I ing members are automatically moved to obstruct the feeding stations or hoppers to prevent the feeding of a second document through the machine until the first document has been photographed on both sides In order to insure the complete clearance of the first document before feeding the second, means is provided for controlling the movement of the blocking members Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of to a non-obstructing position from the trailing edges. of the reversed document, all of which will be hereinafter more fully described.

Referring now to the drawings there is shown a rotating feeding or advancing drum II which is mounted for rotation on the shaft I2 journaled in opposite walls I! and II of the machine housing, the front of the machine being at the left, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2. The drum is adapted to advance the documents, generally indicated at I5, Figs. 1 and 2, through the photographic field of a camera, not shown, so that the document may be photographically recorded. An electric motor or other drive means, not shown, is operatively connected to the shaft I2 to rotate the drum II, such, for example. as illustrated in the above-mentioned patent to Hughey. The document I6 is held in engagement with the drum II during its passage through the photographic field of the camera by means of an apertured guide plate which, in the present embodiment, is

in the form of a glass plate I6. Brackets I6a secured to the walls I3 and I4 support the plate I6 at its ends only so that an unobstructed view of the document is assured. Spaced shafts I! are mounted on the side walls l3 and ll of the machine housing, and carry rollers I6 which hold the document against the drum above and below the apertured guide plate I6. A guide member I6 cooperates with upper rollers I8 to guide the document between the drum and the plate l5, while a lower guide member serves to guide the document along the lower front face of the drum. all of which is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The drum II is also operatively connected to and operated in timed relation with the photographic camera, not shown, in a manner clearly illustrated in the above-mentioned Hughey patent.

The machine is provided witha pair of document feeding stations or hoppers, clearly indicated by the numerals and 26 positioned adjacent the top of the drum II and adapted to receive documents to be fed onto the drum. The rear hopper 25 is adapted to receive small documents, such as checks, which are dropped edgewise, as shown in Fig. 2, into the hopper 25 and are then carried or advanced by the drum I. through the field of the camera to be photographed thereby. The front hopper 26 is primarily intended for larger documents such as letters, ledger sheets, and the like. This front hopper is provided with a rearwardly or upwardly sloping bottom 26 which terminates in a feeding board or support 29 on which the larger documents are positioned prior to the feeding thereof into the hopper 26. This bottom 28 is vertically adjustable for reasons to be later described.

It is thus apparent from an inspection of Figs. 1 and 2 that when the documents are fed to either the hopper 25 or 26, the rotating drum II will pick up and carry the document in a clockwise direction, through the photographic field of the camera so as to photograph one side of the document. The document during its travel, is held in engagement with the drum II by reason of the plate I6, rollers I8, and guides I9 and 20. When the document reaches the bottom of the drum it is stripped therefrom by means of a plurality of fingers 36 which are recessed in circumferential grooves 3I formed in the drum .I I, as shown in Figs. 1. 2, and 3.

It is often desirable, particularly in the case of large checks, to not only photograph the front of the check, as above described, but to also photograph the back of the check so that a photographic record of the various endorsements may also be secured. Even with large documents, it is often desirable, and in some cases essential, to photograph both sides thereof. This photographing of the opposite side of the document may obviously be accomplished by feeding the document through the machine, then manually reversing or flipping the document over, then again manually feeding it through the machine. The present invention, however, provides an arrangement whereby this reversing and re-feeding of the document is accomplished automatically so that all the operator has to do is position and feed the document into one of the hoppers 25 or 26. To secure this result, the fingers 30 are movable downwardly radially from the drum II, by means hereinafter described, from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 1. In the latter position the finders 30 have been moved out of the recesses 3i and extend slightly below the surface of the drum II. It is now apparent that instead of stripping the document from the drum, the fingers 30 will now guide or direct the document to the rear side of the drum. This movement of the fingers or guides 30 is in proper timed relation to the movement of the document I5 by the drum so that the fingers will be moved out of the recesses 3i just prior to the time the document approaches the bottom of the drum. To facilitate the ready passage of the document I5 between the fingers 30 and the drum II, a set of resilient members are provided. Each of these resilient members has one end thereof secured to the bracket 20 while the free end extends over the lower face of the drum; and, when the fingers 30 are in a lowered position, terminate between the fingers and the drum, as shown at 36, Fig. 1, and direct the document therebetween. The fingers or guides 30 thus perform two separate and distinct functions. When in the position illustrated in Fig. 2, they strip the document I5 from the rotating drum l I. When, however, they are moved to the position shown in Fig. 1, they act to guide or direct the document to the rear face of the drum and to a reversing mechanism hereinafter described.

From the .fingers 30, the document I5 is guided between a plate and the drum H. The plate 40 preferably extends the full width of the drum and is secured, in any suitable manner, to the opposite side walls I3 and I4. For the purpose of clarity, this plate has been omitted from Fig. 3. The plate 40 preferably does not engage the drum, but is spaced slightly therefrom as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. As the document advances under the plate 40, it may be held against the drum II by means of rollers 4| which are mounted in any suitable and well-known manner, such for example, as shown in connection with the rollers I8 previously described. The plate 40, with its guide rollers 41, thus cooperate with the guide fingers 3!] to guide or direct the document to the reversing plate to be presently described.

The document I5 is carried around by the drum II until it strikes a reversing plate which, in the present embodiment, comprises the under surface 5|] of the hopper bottom 28. This reversing plate cooperates with a spaced plate 53 to form a document reversing chamber 54. This chamber is of such a length as to accommodate the largest document which can be fed through the machine. As the document I5 strikes the surface of the plate 28, it is stripped from the drum II, and reversed or flipped over in the chamber 54, as shown act to at Fig. 1, so that the opposite side of the document is turned uppermost. It is now apparent that if the document is. again fed through the machine, the opposite side thereof will pass under the plate l6 and through the photographic field of the camera and will thus be recorded thereby.

A plate or support 55 extends across the front of the machine and is secured to the opposite walls l3 and H, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. An L-shaped bracket 55 is secured by screws 51 to the under side of the plate 55, adjacent the center thereof and carries a stub shaft 58. A bearing 59 is loosely mounted on the shaft 55 and has integrally formed therewith a forwardly extending arm 60, the free end of which carries a rubber-coated roller 6|. A coil spring 82 is wrapped around the bearing 59 and has one end thereof engaging the bracket 56 while the other end is hooked over the arm 60. The spring 62 thus yieldably holds the roller Si in engagement with the roller 41 so that the roller 6i will be driven from the drum II, in the direction indicated by the arrow.

As the document is flipped over or reversed, as above described, the rotating roller 6| picks up the document and directs it onto the rotating drum, to be advanced thereby so that the opposite side of the document may be photographed. While the reversing surface 50 actually fiips the document over, the fingers 30 and the plate 40 cooperate to feed or direct the document to the reversing plate, and the roller 6| then directs the reversed document onto the rotating drum, so that these members all cooperate to perform the reversing operation and may, there fore, be broadly considered as document'reversing means. Furthermore, the plate 40 and the fingers 30 cooperate to guide the document around the rear face of the drum, so that the plate 40 and the fingers 30 may be broadly classed as means for guiding the document to the reversing surface 50. I

The right end of the support 55, as viewed in Fig. 3, carries a pair of spaced rearwardly ex-- tending arms '85 and 66 preferably formed integral with the support 55. These arms provide bearings for a shaft 61 on which is hung a suspended yoke, broadly designated by the numeral 68. This yoke is formed with a pair of spaced upper bearings 69 through which the shaft 61 extends, and a pair of spaced lower bearings which support a lower shaft II, the

purpose of which'will be hereinafter more fully described. By means of this arrangement, the shaft II is hung or' suspended between the arms 65 and 56. A coil spring 12 is wrapped around a shaft 61 and has one endthereof hooked under the support and the other end engaging the yoke 68 so as to yieldably force the shaft ll rearwardly or towards the drum II, to bring a clutch housing 15, movably mounted on the shaft ll, into engagement with the drum ll. The fingers 30 are secured to or formed integral with a plate 18 and project rearwardly from the rear edge 19 thereof as best shown in Fig. 5. A pair of cantilever arms 89 are pivotally or rockably mounted at 8| to the side walls 13 and ll of the housing. The free ends 82 of these arms are connected to the opposite'lends of the is such that the plate ll tends, due to its weight, to turn in a clockwise direction about the pivots II, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2,to automatically move the fingers 89 away from the drum II and out of the recesses II, as shown in. Fig. 1, so as to be in a position to guide the document to the reversing mechanism.

A z-shaped bar 88 has one end ll secured by rivets 95 or other suitable fastening means, to the under side of the plate 19, while the other end 86 extends upwardly, in an inclined direction, behind the drum II, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. An L-shaped member has a short leg 98 thereof suitably secured to the intermediate portion 89 of the bar 83, while the longer leg 90. extends upwardly behind and in substantial parallel relation with the end 99 of the bar 88 to engage a cam 9| carried by the shaft II. It is apparent that the engagement of the leg 90 with the cam will limit the clockwise rotation of the plate 19 about the pivots 8| to thus position the fingers 30 the proper distance from the drum ll so as to guide the document to the reversing mechanism. A screw 92 extends through the leg 90 and engages the portion 88 of the bar 89 to permit slight adjustment of the fingers 90 to compensate for the wear of the parts as will be apparent from an inspection of the drawings.

The leg 90 is, in effect, a leaf spring and provides a flexible or yieldable connection between the guiding or stripping fingers 30 and its actuating means, the cam 9|. This yieldable connection is provided so that if, due to wear or other reasons, the cam 91 tends to move the fingers 39 into stripping position while the document is passing between the fingers and the drum, the leg 90 will bend or yield to prevent the fingers from being pressed against the document with sufiicient force to pierce or puncture the latter. The cam 9i is of the shape best shown in Fig.

7, and is formed with two actuating portions 92 and 93 and two dwell portions 94 and 95 respectively. The arrangement is such that during the first .quarter revolution of the shaft 1 l the actuating portion 92 of the cam 9| passes over the flexible arm 90; and, as this portion is of decreasing radius, when rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow Figs. 1 and 2, the cam tends to move away fom the arm 90 thus permitting the weight of the plate 18 to rock the latter about the pivots 8| to move the fingers 90 away from the drum H, as shown in Fig. 1. During the next quarter revolution of the shaft II the smaller-radius dwell portion 94 of the cam 91 is in engagement the arm 9|] and the in Figs. 1 and 2, to rock the plate 18 in a counterplate 18, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 5. By

means of this arrangement, the plate 18 and fingers 90 are mounted for rocking \or turning movement about the offset or eccentric pivots at. The weight of the plate 10 and\fingers an clockwise direction about its pivots M to move the fingers 30 into the groove ill to a. position to strip the document from the drum. Finally, during the fourth quarter revolution of the cam, the larger-radius dwell portion 95 of the cam 9| is in engagement with the arm and the fingers 30 are retained in the recesses ill. The movement of the fingers 30 to the document directing or guiding position, as shown in Fig. 1, is controlled from the leading edge of the document during its initial travel through the machine, while the movement of the fingers into document stripping position, as shown in Fig. 2, is controlled by the leading edge of the reversed document, all as will be later more fully described.

The shaft II is driven by a suitable clutch, not shown. mounted in the clutch housing". When the clutch is engaged, the shaft H is driven by reason of the engagement of the clutch housing 15 with the drum II. This clutch arrangement is preferably of the same construction as that shown and illustrated in the above-mentioned patent to Hughey and need not, therefore, be further described.

The clutch also comprises a complementary member in the form of a disk 91 which is secured and rotatable as a unit with the shaft II. When the disk is held stationary, the clutch is disengaged and the shaft 1| will not be rotated. When, however, the disk is released, it is clutched to the clutch housing 15 and the shaft H is then driven. As the clutch housing engages and is driven by the drum II, it is evident that the shaft 1I will be rotated in timed relation to the rotation of the drum II.

The disk 91 is formed with four equally spaced abutments or shoulders 08 with which a lug 99 of a lever or blocking member I is adapted to engage. When the lug 99 is in engagement with one of these abutments 98, as shown in Fig. 1, the disk 91 and the shaft II are held against rotation. However, when the lug 99 is moved out of blocking or obstructing position, in a manner to be later described, the disk 91 is clutched to the clutch housing and the shaft 1| is rotated, as is apparent.

As the lug 99 is moved out of engagement with one of the abutments 98, it rides along the surface of the disk 91 until the next abutment 98 is brought into registry with the lug 99, at Which time the lug drops, under the action of a coil spring IOI, against the next abutment 90 to prevent further rotation of the disk 91-and the shaft 1|. Thus each time the lever I00 is moved out of obstructing position, the shaft II makes a quarter revolution to control the fingers 30, as above described. The lever I 00 is held in engagement with the disk 91 by reason of the spring IOI, one end of which is secured to the wall I4 while the other end is fastened to the chine.

lever I00 which, in turn, is pivoted at I02 to a bellcrank I03.

It is imperative that the rotation of the shaft 1| and the movement of the fingers 30 be in proper timed relation to the rotation of the drum II. To this end, the drum shaft I2 has mounted thereon a ten-pointed cam I05, the points I06 of which are arranged to periodically engage a laterally projecting pin I01 on the right end of the lever I00, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, to periodically move the lug 99 out of engagement with the shoulders 08, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the shaft 1I may make a quarter revolution. As the cam I05 rotates, the pin I01 moves off the points I06 and onto a dwell portion I08 so that the lug 99 may be moved downwardly under the action of the spring IM to ride on the surface of the disk 91 whereupon the lug engages the next abutment 98 to arrest rotation of the shaft II. It is clear from the above description that the rotation of the shaft 1| and the movement of the fingers 30 are in timed relation to the rotation of the shaft and fingers.

The first actuation of the lever I00 permits the disk 91 to make one quarter revolution to move the actuating portion 92 of the cam 9| across the yieldable arm 90 so that the plate 18 may pivot to move the fingers 30 out of em gagement with the drum to guide or direct the document to the reversing mechanism. The second actuation of the lever I00 enables the disk 91 to make another quarter revolution, but during this time the dwell portion 94 of the cam BI is in engagement with the yieldable arm 00 so that the fingers 30 remain in the withdrawn or document directing position. These two actuations of the cam 90 are controlled by the leading and trailing edges respectively of the document during its initial travel through the ma- The third movement of the lever I now moves the cam 9| to the third quarter of its revolution to bring the actuating portion 03 into engagement with the arm 90 to now rotate the plate 18 to move the fingers 30 into the recesses 3| to slip the document from the drum. Finally, the fourth actuation of the lever Ill moves the cam 9i through the last quarter of its revolution to pass the dwell portion over the arm so that the fingers 30 remain in stripping position. This third and fourth actuations of lever I00 are controlled by the leading and trailing edges respectively of the reversed document, as will be later explained. Thus with each double passing of the document through the machine, the lever I00 is actuated four times by the cam I05 but the shaft 1| and cam 0| make only a single revolution to move the fingers 30 first out of and then back into the re cesses 3|, both of such movements being controlled from the leading edge of the document as it moves around the drum.

A trip plate H0 is also loosely mounted on the shaft I2. This plate and the cam I05 are arranged to be periodically clutched to and driven as a unit with the drum II in the manner clearly set forth in the above referred to patent to Hughey. The clutching arrangement is such that when the trip plate H0 is held stationary, both the plate and the cam I05 are unclutched from the drum and do not revolve. When, on the other hand, the trip plate H0 is released, both the plate and the cam, are clutched to the drum and rotate as a unit therewith whereby the shaft TI will be rotated, in a manner above described.

In order to insure the proper functioning of the machine, it is essential that the reversing mechanism, above described, be also operated in proper timed relation to the advancing of the document I5 by the drum II. To this end, the advancement of the document is utilized to initiate a sequence of operations all of which are in proper timed relation to the movement of the document by the drum.

To secure this result, a control arm III is pivoted intermediate ends to a post II2 which extends outwardly from the wall I4. The arm tends to rotate in a clockwise direction under the action of the spring H3. The right end of the arm is slotted as shown at II4 to receive a laterally extending pin II5 secured to a member IIB mounted on the shaft II1 which also carries fingers II8, all of which are clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The left end of the arm III .is formed with a lip or offset II9 which is arranged to abut lugs I20 and I2I bent out of the material forming the trip plate H0. The lugs I2I are nearer to the center of the plate IIO than the lugs I20, and are displaced angularly therefrom, as shown in the drawings. This arrangement is quite similar to that shown in Fig. 3 of the above-mentioned patent to Hughey,

. and cam 9|.

aasaoss I and Figs. 4 and 5 of the above mentioned patent {to Schubert.

Upon the entry of the document between the drum II and'the upper rollers II. the fingers II3 are tripped by the leading edge of the document, and the member IIO isrotated in a counterclockwise direction also similarly rotating the tcontrol arm III so that the lip IIO no longer e a es now free,

the lug I20. As the trip plate H is the plate and cam I are clutched to the drum III and are rotatedas a unit there-.

the disk 01 so as to permit the shaft II and the -cam 3| to make their first quarter revolutions to move the fingers 30 radially away from the drum to document guiding position, as shown in Fig. 1. The trip plate H0 and the cam I05 continued 'to rotate until the lip IIO engages one of the lugs I2I whereupon the trip plate is again held so as to unclutch the plate H0 and the cam 05 from the drum II. The lip II3 remains in engagement with the lug I2I during the passing of the document under the fingers IIO.

When, however, the trailing edge of the document has cleared the fingers IIO, the latter rotate in a clockwise direction to the position shown in Fig. 1 in which fingers I I0 extend into the grooves 3| of the drum. This movement of the fingers IIO will also rotate the arm III in a clockwise direction to lift the lip II! out of engagement with the lug -I2I. The trip plate is again free, and will rotate, withthe cam I05, until the next lug I strikes the lug H9 whereupon the plate I I0 is again stopped. During this time the next point I05 on the cam I05 engages the pin 81 to again rock the lever I00 to permit the second quarter revolution of the shaft 1| During this second quarter revoluticn, however, the fingers 30 remain in'their guiding positions due to the dwell portion 94 of the cam 9|, as pointed out above. Thus during the first passage of the document through the machine, the cam I05 actuates the lever I00 twice and the cam 9| is rotated a half revolution to move the fingers 30 to and to retain them in stripping position.

After the document has been reversed, it is again fed through the machine and the leading and trailing edges of the reversed document again actuate the trip fingers H0 in the manner above described to cause the cam ilI tonmove through the third and fourth quarters of its revolution to shift the fingers 30 back into the grooves 3I so that the double photographed document may now be stripped from the drum. In this manner, the movement of the document through the machine initiates an operating cycle by which the reversing mechanism is controlled and operated in timed relation to the rotation of the feeding drum and a movement of the document thereon.

Small documents, such as checks, may be fed quite rapidly through the feeding stations or hopper while larger documents are fed through the hopper 26. If both sides of these checks or documents are to be photographed, it is desirable to have the image of each side arranged on adjacent image areas of the film strip. For this reason, it is desirable to delay the feeding of a second check or document until the preceding one has been photographed on both sides. This delayed feeding may be done manually. but it is preferred to accomplish it automaticallysothata'lltheoperatorhastodoisto feed, the document to the proper hopper.

.This delayed feeding is accomplished. in the present embodiment, by means of a series of obstructing fingers I24 and I25, of the shape best shown in F188. 1 and 2. adapted to block the hoppers 20 and 25 respectively, as shown in Fig. l. The fingers I25 are mounted on and rotatable with a shaft I20 and are adapted to project through slots I2'I in the rear wall of the hopper 25 to extend thereacross as shown in Fig. i, to prevent further feeding of checks or other small documents through the hopper 25. The hopper member 20 and the feeding board 20 are preferably made vertically adjustable, by

any suitable means, so as to space the lower end I20 thereof the proper distance from the drum-II. When relatively thin documents are fed through the machine, the end I28 may be positioned relatively close to the drum. When, however, thicker documents, such as cards, are fed, the plate 20 is raised to lift the end I20 further away from the drum II to permit free passage of. the cards between the drum and the end I20 of the plate 20. In order to accommodate this adjustment of the plate 20, the obstructlng fingers I24 are not formed integral with the fingers I25, but are preferably separately formed therefrom and are pivotally mounted at I25 on the tailpiece of the fingers I25 so that the fingers I24 may move in accordance with the position ofthe plate 20.

The fingers I24 and I25, however, move as a unit about the shaft I26, as will be readily ap parent from an inspection of Figs. 1 and 2. The movement of these fingers is controlled by a cam I30 of the shape best shown in Fig. 6 mounted on the shaft II. This cam engages one end of a lever I3I pivoted at I32 to the machine frame. The other end of the lever I3I is pivotally connected at I33 to a vertical member or link I34 which is in turn connected to an arm I35 secured to and rotatable with the shaft I20. It is apparent from an inspection of Fig. 2, that when the left end of the lever I3I is raised upwardly by the cam I30, that the fingers I24 and I25 will be thrown across the hoppers 25 and 26 ,to prevent further feeding of documents through the hoppers.

The cam I30 is formed with a relatively long concentric dwell portion I30 and a relatively short smaller-radius actuating portion I31. The

arrangement is such that when the leading edge of the document, during its first passing through the machine, engages the fingers IIO to cause the shaft H to make its first quarter revolution, the cam I30 is partially rotated to bring the longer radius dwell portion I38 under the left end of the lever I3I to raise the latter. Such movement causes a rocking of the lever I3I about its pivot I32 to move the right end downwardly, thus rocking the shaft I26 in a counterclockwise direction to move the fingers I24 and I 25 into obstructing position, as shown in Fig. 1. When relatively short documents, such as checks, are fed through the machine, the leading ments to move the fingers I24 and I25 to inoperative position might open the hoppers before the previous document has completely passed thereunder so that if a second document were then fed, the two documents would pass through .the camera field in overlapping relation, the

disadvantages of which are obvious. In order to overcome this undesirable feature, the trailing edge of the reversed document is utilized to actuate the cam I30 to move the fingers I24 and I25 to a. non-obstructing position.

To this end, the dwell portion I36 of the cam I30 extends substantially three-quarters of the way around the cam. By means of this arrangement, the first three-quarters of the revolution of the cam serves to retain the fingers I24 and I25 in hopper blocking position. However, when the trailing edge of the reversed document passes under the fingers IIO, the shaft II is rotated through its last quarter revolution. At this time, the left end of the lever I30 now registers with and drops down onto the smaller-radius actuating portion I31 of the cam I30, thus rocking the lever in a counter-clockwise direction about its pivot I32 to raise the right end thereof. This upward movement of the right end of the lever I3I rocks the shaft I20 in a clockwise direction to move the fingers I24 and I25 from the position in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 2 to open hoppers 25 and 26 with the feeding of a second document therethrough. Such opening of the hoppers does not, however, occur until after the trailing edge of the reversed document has passed under the fingers II8, thus effectively preventing the overlapping feeding of two documents.

It is thus apparent from the above description that the leading edge of the document during its initial travel through the machine serves to move the fingers I24 and I25 to hopper blocking position and to also move the fingers 30 radially away from the drum to the document driving position. The leading edge of the reversed document is then utilized to return the fingers 30 to document stripping position, while the trailing edge serves to move the blocking fingers I24 and I25 from the hopper obstructing position. As the leading edge in both cases is used to actuate the fingers 30, the latter may be broadly con sidered as controlled from the same edge of the document. The blocking fingers I24 and I25, however, are moved to hopper obstructing position by the leading edge of the initially fed document, and are subsequently moved out of obstructing position by the trailing edge of the reversed document. Therefore, the fingers I24 and I25 may be broadly considered as controlled from different edges of the document.

A resilient connection is preferably provided between the link I24 and the arm I35. To secure this result, the free end of the arm I35 has secured thereto a laterally projecting pin I38 which projects into a slot I39 formed in the upper end of the link I34. A spring I40 has one 'end thereof anchored to the link I34, and the other end secured to the pin I38 so as to provide a flexible connection between the links I34 and the arm I35. Referring now to Fig. 1, it is seen that when the fingers I24 and I25 are across the hoppers 25 and 26, the pin I38 engages the bottom of the slot I39. Any pressure which is applied to the fingers 'I25 will move the pin I38 upwardly in the slot I39 against the action of the spring I40. This yieldable arrangement enables the passage of the trailing edge of a long document, which might be fe through the hopper 25, to freely slide betwee: the hopper wall and the ends of the fingers I yet effectively prevents the feeding of a secom document to the drum II through the hoppe 25 until the previous document has been photo graphed on both sides. In the case of the hoppe 26, any pressure on the fingers I24 will onus the latter to rock in a counter-clockwise direction about their .pivots I29 to permit the passage of the trailing edge of a long documen between the ends of the fingers and the plats 28, yet will effectively permit the inadvertem feeding of a second document into the hopper When the documents pass through the photographic field of the camera, they move behind the glass aperture guide plate I6. For obvious ,reasons, it is desirable to maintain the glass in clean condition. To facilitate such cleaning, the 20 plate is slidably mounted inits supporting bracket I6a so that it may be removed from the machine for cleaning and/or replacement. It is apparent, however, that if the machine were operated with the plate I8 removed, no means would be provided for holding the document against the drum during the passage through the photographic field of the camera, and the document might tend to move away from the drum, at that point. In order to eliminate such a possibility, the plate I6 is utilized to close a self-opening switch arranged in the circuit of the drive motor so that when the plate I9 is in position, the switch will be closed and the motor circuit will be closed. However, the removal of the plate will enable the switch automatically to move to open position, thus effectively preventing any inadvertent operating of the machine when the plate is removed. To secure this result, a switch I4I of the self-opening type is connected into the motor circuit and is formed with a flexible movable arm I42 adapted to be engaged by the edge I43 of the plate I6 to close the switch, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. As the arrangement of such a switch in the motor cir- 45 cuit is well known, a detailed showing thereof is not deemed necessary for a full understanding of the operation thereof.

The above described reversing mechanism may be manually moved to an operative position in which a number of consecutive documents may be photographed on both sides, or may be moved to an inoperative position in which the subse quent documents are photographed only on one side. This manual moving means is in the form of a handle I50 the lower end of which is connected at I5I to the left end of a bellcrank III, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2. When the handle Ill is moved to the front position, as shown in full line Fig. 1, the bellcrank I03 is rotated slightly so in the counter-clockwise direction to bring the pin I 01 of the lever I00 into engagement with the cam I05. With the handle in this position. the checks or documents will be photographed on both sides. When, however, the handle is shifted to the neutral position, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the left end of the bellcrank I03 is lifted slightly upwardly thus depressing the right end thereof, whereby the pin IN is moved out of engagement with the cam I 05. The re- 7 0 versing mechanism is now disconnected from the drum I I so that the documents which are now fed through the machine will be photographed only on one side.

Occasionally it is necessary to photograph both 7 sides of only one document out of a group, the

on one side. To accomplish this result, the handle I50 may be moved to the rear position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, thus rotating ,the bellerank I03to bring. the pin I01 into engagement with the cam I as when the handle I50 is moved, to'the front in the same manner position, as described in the preceding paragraph. The document to be photographed on both sides is now fed through the machine, the guide fingers 30 operating to guide the document to the reversing surface 50 of the plate 20 and the roller 0i serving to re-feed the document to the drum II. When however, theshaft II rotates to move the fingers 30 to the position shown in Fig. 2, a pin I52 projecting outwardly from the. disk 91 strikes the handle I50 and moves the latter to the left or to the neutral position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. When the handle is thus moved to the neutral position, the pin I01 is automatically moved out of engagement with the cam I05 and the reversing mechanism becomes inoperative. In this manner, occasional checks may have both sides'thereof photographed, while subsequent checks may have only one side photograpned, the change-over being automatic. The handle I50 is provided with a gripping portion I53 which projects upwardly through an opening I54 in the machine frame. When the handle is moved in either the front or rear positions, it is also moved downwardly so as to bring one of the shoulders I55 into engagement with the under surface I56 of a member of the machine frame, as shown in Figs. 1 and'2, to lock the handle I50 in adjusted position.

The machine operates as follows: The handle I50 may be selectively moved to a neutral position, as shown in dotted line in Fig. 1, so as to move the pin I01 out of engagement with the cam =I05. Now when checks or documents are fed through the hoppers 25 and/or 25, the documents are advanced by the drum I I through the photographic field of the camera soas to photograph one side of the document. The single recorded document is then stripped oi the drum by the fingers 30 and discharged to a suitable receptacle or hopper, not shown. When, however, the handle I30 is moved to the front position, shown in full line in Fig. l, the pin I01 is moved into engagement with the cam I05 thus operatively connecting the reversing mechanism to the drum I I. The advancing of the document by the drum II causes the leading edge of the document to engage the fingers II8 to rock the arm III to move the lip I I9 thereof out of engagement with the lug I20. The trip plate I I0 is now free and thus automaticallyclutches the plate and the cam I05 to the drum II. Upon rotation of the cam I05, a point I06 engages the pin I01 to rotate the lever I00 about its pivot to lift the lugs 99 out of engagement with one of the shoulders 98 of the disk 91. As the latter is now free, it is clutched to the constantly driven housing I5 to rotate the shaft] I, so as to move the document directing finger; 30 downwardly-substantially radially fromjhe drum and to position the blocking -mem'b 'rs' I24 and I 25 across the feeding hoppers 25 and 26.

When, however, the shaft II has made a quarter revolution the lug 39 engages the next shoulder 80 to arrest rotation of the shaft II. 45 the trailing edge of v the document passes underthe fingers lit, the arm IIIv is-again"'actuated and the shaft lI moves through another quarter revolution. At this time, however, the dwell portions through the third quarter of its revolution. During this portion of'the revolution of the shaft II, the guide fingers 30 are moved upward to document stripping position, the obstructing fingers I24 and I25, however, remaining in their blocking position. Now, when the trailing edge of the reversed document passes under the fingers lit, the last quarter revolution of the shaft 'II' occurs. During this final movement of the shaft II, the fingers 30 remain in document stripping ,position, by reason ofthe dwell. portion 05 of the cam 9 I while the engagement of the actuating portion I31 of the cam I30 with the lever I3I serves to move the obstructing fingers I24 and I25 out of hopper-blocking position to permit the feeding of a second document to one of the hoppers.

The reversing of the document is controlled by moving the "handle I50 to the rear position, as shown in full line in Fig.1. When the handle is in this position, the document is fed through the machine to photograph one side thereof, then automatically reversed and fed through a second time to photograph the opposite side, and is then stripped from the drum. When the handle I50 is however; placed in the neutral position, as shown in dotted line, Fig. l, the document is fed only once through the machine and is then stripped from the drum, thus photographing only one side of the document. On the other hand, when the handle I50 is moved to the front position, as shown in dotted line in Fig. 2, the first document is fed through the machine to photograph both sides of the document, whereupon the handle is automatically returned to 'the neutral position so that subsequent documents are photographed only on one side. Thus by reason of this arrangement, a series of documents may be photographed on either side or both sides, or a selected document may be'photographed on both sides, while the remaining documents are photographed only on one side.

It is thus apparent from the above description that the present invention provides an arrangement whereby checks or other documents may have one or both sides photographically recorded. The reversing mechanism may also be selectively positioned so that a selected document may be photographed on both sides while the other documents are photographed on only one side. In addition, the removal of the glass apertured guide plate renders the machine inoperative. Also. the actuation of the guiding and stripping fingers is controlled from leading edge of the document while the actuation of the hopper blocking fingers is controlled from both the leading and trailing edges of the document. Finally, the various mechanisms are all arranged to operate in timed relation to the rotation of the feeding drum and to the movement of the documents through the machine.

While one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is to be understood that the inventive idea may be carried out in a number of vways. This application is, therefore, not to be limited to the precise details described, but

-is intended to cover all variations and modificapended claims.

We claim:

1. In a document handling device, the combination with a rotating drum for advancing a document through the photographic field of a camera so as to photograph one side of said document, of means for reversing said document so that the other side thereof may be advanced by said drum through said field and photographed by said camera, means movable radially of said drum for guiding said document to said reversing means, means for controlling said movable means from said drum and in timed relation to the rotation thereof, and a yieldable connection between said movable means and said control means.

2. In a document handling device, the combination with a rotating drum for advancing a document through the photographic field of a camera so as to photograph one side of said document, of means for reversing said document so that the other side thereof may be advanced by said drum through said field and photographed by said camera, means movable radially 01 said drum for guiding said document to said reversing means, means for mounting said guide means on said device for movement about an eccentrically arranged pivot so that said member will tend to move automatically away from said drum to document guiding position, and means controlled from said drum and in timed relation to the rotation thereof for moving said guide means about said pivot and into a position ad- Jacent said drum to strip the document therefrom.

3. In a document handling device, the combination with a rotating drum for advancing a document through the photographic field of a camera so as to photograph one side of said document, of means for reversing said document so that the other side thereof may be advanced by said drum through said field and photographed by said camera, means movable radially of said drum for guiding said document to said reverslng means, means for mounting said guide means on said device for movement about an eccentrically arranged pivot so that said member will tend to move automatically away from said drum to document guiding position, means for limiting the movement of said guide means away from said drum, and means controlled by said drum and in timed relation to the rotation thereof for moving said guide means into substantial engagement with said drum to strip the document therefrom.

4. In a document handling device, the combination with a rotating drum for advancing a document through the photographic field of a camera so as to photograph one side of said document, of means for reversing said document so that the other side thereof may be advanced by said drum through said field and photographed by said camera, means movable radially of said drum for guiding said document to said reversing means, means for mounting said guide means on said device for movement about an eccentrically arranged pivot so that said memher will tend to move automatically away from said drum to document guiding position, means controlled from said drum and in timed relation to the rotation thereof for moving said guide means about said pivot and into a position adjacent said drum to strip the document therefrom, and a yieldable connecting member between said guide means and said control means.

, 2,253,052 -tions thereof falling within the scope of the ap- 5. In a. document handling device, the combination with a rotating drum for advancing a document through the photographic field of a camera so as to photograph one side of said document, of means for reversing said document so that the other side thereof may be advanced by said drum through said field and photographed by said camera, means movable radially of said drum for guiding said document to said reversing means, means for mounting said guide means on said device for movement about an eccentrically arranged pivot so that said member will tend to move automatically away from said drum to document guiding position, a yieldable member connected to said mounting means, means engaging said yieldable member for limiting the movement of said guide means away from said drum, and means engaging said yieldable member and controlled from said drum and in timed relation with the latter for moving said mounting means about said pivot to position said guide means in substantial engagement with said drum to strip the document therefrom.

6. In a document handling device, the combination with a rotating drum for advancing a document through the photographic field of a camera so as to photograph one side of said document, of means for reversing said document so that the other side thereof may be advanced by said drum through said field and photographed by said camera, a plurality of guide fingers positioned adjacent but slightly spaced from said drum to guide said document to said reversing means, a support for said fingers rockably mounted on said device so that said fingers tend to move away from said drum, means for limiting such movement, means controlled by said drum and in timed relation to the rotation thereof for moving said fingers into substantial engagement with said drum to strip the document therefrom, and a flexible member connecting said support and said control means.

7. In a document handling device, the combination with a rotating drum for advancing a document through the photographic field of a camera so as to photograph one side of said document, of means for reversing said document so that the other side thereof may be advanced by said drum through said field and photographed by said camera, of a plurality of fingers arranged adjacent said drum and adapted to direct said document to said reversing means, a support for said fingers, a pair of arms pivotally mounted on said device and having the free ends connected to said plate so that the weight of the latter will tend to rock said plate in one direction about said pivots to move said fingers radially away from said drum to document directing position, a leaf spring carried by said support, a cam carried by said device and engaged by said spring for limiting the rocking movement of said support in said one direction to position said fingers in proper spaced relation with said drum to eifectively guide said document to said reversing means, means for adjusting said support relative to said leaf spring, and means controlled by said drum and in timed relation to the rotation thereof for rotating said cam to actuate said leaf spring to rock said plate in the opposite direction about said pivots to position a said fingers substantially in engagement with said drum to strip said document therefrom.

8. In a document handling device, the com bination with a drum operatively connected to a drive means which rotates the drum for advancing a document through the photographic field of a camera so as to be photographed thereby, a removable aperture guide positioned adjacent said drum and in said field, means on said device for supporting said guide, control means for said drive means, and means on said guide for rendering said control means effective only when said guide is in operative position in said field.

9. In a document handling device, the combination with a drum operatively connected to and-adapted to be rotated by an electric motor for advancing a document through the photographic field of a camera so as to be photographed thereby, of a transparent guide plate positioned adjacent said drum for holding said document thereagainst during the passage thereof through said field, means on said device for supporting said plate in said field, a self opening electrical switch arranged in the circuit of said motor, and a portion on said plate arranged to engage and close said switch when said plate is in operative position.

10. In an apparatus for photographically recording a document,-the combination with a housing having a feeding station for said document, a rotating drum mounted in said housing for advancing said document through the photographic field of a camera so as to photograph one side of said document, of means for reversing said document so that the other side thereof may be advanced by said drum through said field, means for blocking said station to prevent the feeding of a second document therethrough until said other side has been advanced through said field and means controlled by the leading edge of said document for moving said blocking member to station obstructing position and actuated by the trailing edge of the reversed document for moving the blocking member out of said station to permit the feeding of a second document to said drum.

11. In an apparatus for photographically recording a document, the combination with a housing having a feeding station for said document, a rotating drum mounted in said housing for advancing said document through the photographic field of a camera so as to photograph one side .of said document, of means for reversing said document so that the other side thereof may be advanced by said drum through said field, means for blocking said station to prevent the feeding of a second document therethrough until said other side has been advanced through said field, means operated by said drum for moving said blocking member into and out of station obstructing position, and means actuated by the leading edge of said document for controlling said operating means to move said blocking member to station obstructing position and subsequently actuated by the trailing edge of the reversed document to control said operating means to move said blocking member out of station" obstructing position.

12. In an apparatus for photographicaliy recording a document, the combination with a housing having a feeding station for said docu ment, a rotating drum mounted in said housing for advancing said document through the photographic field of a camera so as to photograph one side of said document, of means for reversing said document so that the other side thereof may be advanced by said drum through said from said drum, means for blocking said station to prevent the feeding of a second document therethrough until said other side has been advanced through said field, and means controlled by the leading edge of said document for moving the blocking member to station obstructing position and for moving said movable means away from said drum to guide said document to said reversing means and also controlled by the leading edge of the reversed document to move said movable means toward and into substantial engagement with said drum to strip the document therefrom and further controlled by the trailing edge of the reversed document for moving the blocking member out of station obstructing position.

13. In an apparatus for photographically recording a document, the combination withv a housing having a feeding station for said document, a. rotating drum mounted in said housing for advancing said document through the photographic field of a camera so as to photograph one side of said document, of means for reversing said document so that the other side thereof may be advanced by said drum through said field, means movable radially toward and away from said drum, means for blocking said station to prevent the feeding of a second document therethrough until said other side has been advanced through said field, means for separately operating said movable means and said blocking means from said drum, and means actuated by the leading edge of said document for controlling said operating means to simultaneously move said blocking member to station obstructing position and to move said'movable means away from said drum to guide said document to said reversing means, said control means being also actuated by the leading edge of the reversed document to move said movable means against said drum to strip the document therefrom and subsequently actuatedvby the trailing edge of the reversed document to move said blocking member out of station obstructing position.

14. In an apparatus for photographically recording a document, the combination with a housing having a feeding station for said document, a rotating drum mounted in said housing for advancing said document through the photographic field of a camera so as to photograph one side of said document, of means for reversing said document so that the other side thereof may be advanced by said drum through said field, means movable radially toward and away from said drum, means for blocking said station to prevent the feeding of a second document therethrough until said other side has been advanced through said field, and means controlled by the same edge of said document for simultaneously moving said blocking member to station obstructing position and for moving said movable means away from said drum so as to guide said document to said reversing means and also controlled by different edges of the reversed document to first move said movable means against said drum to strip the reversed document therefrom and to then subsequently move said blocking member out of station obstructing position to permit a second document'to be fed therethrous field, means movable radially toward and away 76 WADE S. NIVIBON. 

